


Devil In The Woods

by Pyriphlegethons



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alpha Sylvain Jose Gautier, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blood and Violence, Felix will wear dresses and you can't stop me, Feminization, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mpreg, Mystery, Omega Felix Hugo Fraldarius, Scenting, Witchcraft, more tags will be added as I go, there's a side of dedashe in here that'll be frequently occurring throughout the story
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-29
Updated: 2020-01-29
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:20:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22454857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pyriphlegethons/pseuds/Pyriphlegethons
Summary: There were plenty of rumors of what dwelled in the woods just outside of town. At sunset, all the village locals scurried off the cobblestone streets and into their little shack homes in hopes of living through the night.
Relationships: Felix Hugo Fraldarius/Sylvain Jose Gautier
Comments: 9
Kudos: 42





	Devil In The Woods

**Author's Note:**

> pls be gentle with me this is my first ever fe3h fic
> 
> all of this is set in an au so none of the plot stuff from the game is relevant
> 
> (im so sorry if anyone is ooc im still figuring out how to write them)

There were plenty of rumors of what dwelled in the woods just outside of town. At sunset, all the village locals scurried off the cobblestone streets and into their little shack homes in hopes of living through the night. Produce and bread were left out as a form of offering to the Devil, as they venomously call it. Grocers and butchers cared less about their coin than they did their own lives, so if it satiated the Devil, then they’d be happy to just leave whatever they couldn’t carry home in one trip.   
Children were kept swaddled up beside their mother’s during the night, out of fear that the Devil may steal one away. Several years before, people could hear the sound of a wailing infant from deep within the woods. And every night since, the cries of a child could be heard. Fathers kept an axe at their side at all times. Husbands and Alphas kept their mates close once the sun went down. Mothers and Omegas opened up their homes to the bastards on the street, so that the Devil would have one less pup to steal away in the dark of night.

Sylvain didn’t believe the rumors, nor did he believe that the people of this town were so superstitious. It wasn’t until he rode into town on horseback one evening, only to see the townsfolk rushing about and locking themselves inside their homes before the sun could set, that he knew that all of the rumors were true. He was lucky that the front sconce at the local inn was still lit, and that the doors weren’t locked yet when he’d finally tied out his horse and moseyed inside, because otherwise the alpha worried that he might have had to camp outside for the evening.

“Anyone here?” Sylvain called, upon closing the door behind him. “I’m looking for a room for the night! Hello!” He called again, and then heard the sound of footfalls above his head, then on the stairs, before an omega with gray hair and bright green eyes was peeking around the corner toward the front door. “Hello?” Sylvain almost wanted to scoff when the boy finally came out from where he was hiding behind the wall. 

The omega quickly made his way toward Sylvain, nearly shoving him aside as he locked the door to the inn. He was panting softly as he stepped back, grabbing Sylvain’s hand and pulling him toward the front counter of the inn. “I’m so sorry about that, sir.” The omega said, as he pulled one of the surprisingly few keys off of the wall behind him. “I hadn’t noticed the door wasn’t locked. I’m glad you could at least get inside before the Devil came to town.”

Sylvain raised a brow and the side of his mouth came up in a slight smirk. “It’s fine, no worries.” A lie, because he was frustrated initially. However, the longer he stared at the omega, the more Sylvain felt calm and at peace. “So… what’s your name? I’m Sylvain. Lovely to meet you.”

“Ashe.” The omega smiled sweetly, and placed the key into Sylvain’s open hand. “My husband and I run the inn.”

_ Husband. Of course.  _ Sylvain thought, as he pulled out some gold pieces and slid them over to the omega. “So, Ashe… I have a question.” He started, following the omega as he led him up the same stairs he came down from before. “This is my first time here, and I’ve always heard people gossip about the local’s, uh… superstition. Mind filling me in a little bit?”

Ashe stopped at a door, opening it and gesturing Sylvain to follow him inside. “It’s a bit of a long story.” He said. “If you don’t mind, I can tell you about it over breakfast tomorrow morning.” He turned to look to the doorway, before glancing toward the window, where rain had started to beat down on the glass. “The Devil hunts at night. You’d be smart to settle in before it gets too late.” Sylvain opened his mouth to speak, but Ashe was already making his way out of the room.

“I feel like I have more questions than before, now.” Sylvain mumbled to himself as he shut the door, locking it tight, before undressing from his leathers and armor. A single oil lamp beside his bed was left lit, perhaps from the previous occupant or maybe by Ashe and his husband. Either way, Sylvain stripped himself bare and dimmed the lamp until the flame was completely snuffed.   
Laying down, the bed was so much softer than Sylvain could have hoped for. Brown and rust colors blankets draped over his skin like water and hugged his tired form almost as well as the lover that he wished he had for the evening. He felt so snug, so warm, and sleep came so, so easy.

Easy, until a loud crack of thunder shook the inn and Sylvain woke up with a horrified yell. Rain was hitting the window in his room so hard that he thought it would break, the sound of wolves howling, the distant cries of a child, it was eerie and unnerving. Sylvain slowly got himself out of bed and chanced a glance outside. He felt some odd magnetism to the window, and upon glancing outside to the darkened nighttime street, was something only his nightmares could conjure up.  A black wolf, fur wet and flat again it’s almost emaciated form. Eyes that seemed to glow a disturbing yellow peered into the window, meeting Sylvain’s gaze when the alpha approached. Lightning flashed brightly, thunder cracking soon after, and the wolf was gone. Disappearing from his sight in an instant, leaving Sylvain with a sinking,  _ sick _ feeling in his gut.

Sleep did not come easy for the remainder of the night, but at least the scent of cooked meat the following morning brought Sylvain a much needed sense of calm. He dressed himself, but decided to forego his leathers and armor in favor of getting whatever that delicious smelling food was before it had the chance to get cold.

Sylvain made his way down the steps and followed his nose to where the kitchen was. Surprisingly, it was empty, save for Ashe at the table with an infant nursing on his breast, and a giant of an alpha male standing at the stove. “Good mornin’.” Sylvain smiled, and met the oddly gentle gaze of the alpha. His dark skin was littered with the lightened streaks of scars, white hair pushed back and eyes like the ocean. He was quite the sight, and Sylvain decided to dwarf himself so as not to appear even slightly threatening. “Sylvain. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Dedue.” The alpha nodded, before turning his attention back to the food he was cooking up. It sizzled wonderfully as he shifted the pan. “You’re free to sit wherever you like. Make yourself comfortable, Sylvain.”

“Don’t mind if I do, then.” Sylvain smiled and gave a nod to Ashe as he sat across from him at the table. “Lovely morning today. Sun is bright, the sky is clear.” He mused, looking out of the window just to the right of him. “Do you mind if I ask about this  _ devil _ you mentioned last night?” He jumped when the pan squeaked against the stove top behind him. “I’m just a tiny bit curious.”

Ashe shifted the gray haired child in his arms to the side, chuckling as he covered his exposed chest. “Absolutely. You know, I actually wasn’t aware that people gossip about our little town enough for newcomers to know about it.”

“I mostly just heard rumors about everyone being pretty superstitious. I didn’t believe it all that much before I got here.” Sylvain shrugged. “Everyone was running around like there was a fire somewhere.”

Nodding, Ashe gently placed the child against his chest and even more gently began to pat the pup’s back. “In the forest, just outside of town, the Devil lives there. It kills hunters who wander too far, kills anyone out in the streets after the sun sets. It’s stolen children and never returned them.” The omega placed a soft kiss to the crown of his pup’s head. “Everyone who lives here takes serious precautions to avoid falling victim to the Devil.”

“That’s crazy.” Sylvain said, jaw dropping. “I had no idea that people have died and gone missing.”

“It’s terrifying and unfortunate.” Ashe looked up to Dedue, as the alpha set a few plates onto the table. “Thank you, darling.” He kisses the man gently, once Dedue sat down beside him. “I’ve never heard of anyone surviving an encounter with the Devil. It sends it wolves out into town to pick all the market stalls clean, then it wanders in to take the lives of anyone it sees.”

“Wolves?” Sylvain tilted his head to the side, before taking a bite of easily the most delicious piece of bacon he’s ever eaten. “During that storm last night, I saw a wolf outside of my window.” The alpha glanced up upon hearing Ashe’s breath catch, and that sinking feeling was back in his stomach. “It left not long after. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you by bringing it up.”

Dedue’s careful hand on Ashe’s back helped soothe the omega, and Ashe used his fork to fiddle with the potato hash on his plate. “It’s fine. You haven’t experienced the same horrors that the locals here have.” He said. “Seeing a wolf is an omen around our town. When hunters see a wolf in the forest, they turn back and come home.” 

“The wolves will only attack if you wander too far.” Dedue added. “But, it’s smart to just leave. The Devil has been known to be… temperamental, especially when hunters kill too much game or are in the woods for too long.” He glanced down to Ashe, who nodded in agreement. “How long do you plan on staying here?”

“Oh, um…” Sylvain hummed in thought. Leaning back in his chair, arms coming up to stretch behind his head before falling back onto his lap. “I’m actually not sure. I usually go around from town to town looking for odd jobs to do for some gold.” He shrugged. “So I’ll probably be here for a few days, maybe longer. I didn’t really decide how long I would be here.”

“Well, you can stay as long as you like.” Ashe said. “So long as you’re in before sundown, you’ll have a bed waiting for you.” He added.

“I really appreciate that.” Sylvain smiled. He shoveled the rest of the amazing food into his mouth before standing up and placing his plate into the sink. “Thank you for breakfast, Dedue. I’ll be back before sunset, so don’t lock me out!” He joked on his way back upstairs, grabbing his bag and fitting on his armor before heading out into the street.

The town looked so peaceful and calm now that the sun was up. 

People were chatting happily, children laughing as they played outside, and it looked almost like last night hadn’t even happened. Like people weren’t scared out of their minds to leave their homes out of fear of dying to something that Sylvain wasn’t sure existed before coming here. Even still, he wasn’t sure. But, whatever was happening in this town sure did scare the piss out of him. The memory of that wolf staring into his room made his blood run cold. The distant wailing hammered it all home, too. Devil or not, Sylvain didn’t like it.

“Sylvain.” A deep voice from behind him made the alpha turn, shaking him from his thoughts. Dedue was walking towards him, eyebrows knit close together. “I’m sorry for bothering you after you’ve just left, but…” His eyes trailed over Sylvain’s face for a moment, before clenching his jaw. 

“But…?” Sylvain crossed his arms, one brow cocked up, as he closed some of the heftier distance between them. “You don’t have to worry about bothering me, Dedue. You and Ashe are letting me stay at your inn, so you’re more than allowed to just bother me whenever you like.”

“I need you to know that the Devil in the woods is dangerous.” Dedue said. “I know that Ashe told you about it, I know that you’ve heard rumors… but it’s dangerous. Don’t wander into the woods alone.” He kept his voice quiet, but there was an almost fearful harshness that accompanied it. “Trust me when I tell you this. You don’t want to know what’s in there. You’re better off leaving it to your imagination.”

“You almost make it sound like you’ve seen it.” Sylvain smirked.

Dedue was quiet for a moment, growing tense. “I have not. No one has.” He said. “No one who is alive today has seen it.”

“Gotcha.” Sylvain shifted the bag over his shoulder, feeling curiosity blooming stronger in the base of his skull. “Don’t worry. The only way I’ll be going into the woods is if someone has a job for me to do in or around it. So I don’t think you’ve got a thing to worry about, Dedue.” With a quick nod, Dedue gave Sylvain one last glance over before walking off. So, Sylvain turned and made a b-line for the market.

However, upon turning down one of the cobblestone streets, Sylvain spotted a crowd of people around one of the buildings further down the street. The alpha ran a hand through his ginger hair as he turned to the closest stall near him, where an older woman was sat with baskets of produce all around her. “Say, ma’am, what’s with all the commotion down there?” He asked the woman. “Some big sales happening today?”

The woman looked up, eyes mostly shut behind her round glasses. “Someone died last night.” She said. “We came out to set up shop for the day, and someone found a dead body.” She added on. “You don’t look like you’re from around her, boy. I suggest you stay indoors once the sun starts going down.”

“I got the whole spiel earlier.” Sylvain hummed. “But, yeah. New in these parts. Just looking for work, but…” He shifted his weight on his feet, eyebrows knitting as he looked over to the older woman. “How often does this happen?”

“More than it should.” She replied. “Are you looking to buy? I’m not here to listen to a stranger make musings about the Devil that’s plaguing our town. I’ve already answered too many questions.”

The alpha rolled his eyes and kept wandering on, stopping at the next stall across the street and considerably closer to the crowd of people. The butcher’s shop, if Sylvain had to make a guess based on the racks of ribs and slabs of meat that littered the shelves all around the stall. “Hey there, sir.” Sylvain put on his best, winning smile. “I’m looking for some work. Know anyone who’s willing to pay for some labor?” He asked the man, big and burly, with dark hair curling around his sun-kissed skin.

“I’d be willin’ to give ya some coin for some work.” The man nodded, then gestured to the meat sitting around. “As you can see, I sell meat. But game is gettin’ harder to hunt. Y’know, ‘cause of the forest bein’ not so easy to hunt in these days.” He started, and slapped a rather grimy hand onto a fatter cut of meat. “You’re new in town, yeah? You look it, at least. If you’re brave enough, I’d like some deer and whatever else you’re willin’ to get. Rabbits, turkeys, deer, it don’t matter too much.”

Despite having initially no intention of doing any work near the woods, and having  _ just  _ told Dedue he didn’t have to worry about anything, Sylvain wasn’t about to pass up any opportunity for a job. “How much?” He asked. “I have my own weapons, and a horse. Just give me a cart, and I’ll be happy to do some hunting for the right price.”

“How’s about fifty gold per deer?” The butcher asked, arms crossing. “Twenty-five for anythin’ else you get that’s smaller than a deer.”

“What if it’s bigger than a deer?” Sylvain leaned a shoulder against the post holding up the stall. “If I bring you back a bear, for example, how much?”

“Hundred gold for a bear.” 

“You’ve got yourself a deal, then.” Sylvain said, pushing himself off the post and holding out a hand. “The name’s Sylvain, by the way. Don’t know if I caught yours?”   
  
“I’m Butch.” He replied after giving Sylvain a firm handshake. “Butch the Butcher.”

“That’s… a very incredible name.” The alpha nodded. “So, got a cart for me? I’ll head out now and bring something back before sunset. Sound good?” 

Nodding, Butch directed Sylvain behind the building that his stall was set up against. “It’s back there. Feel free to come back tomorrow, too. I’m really in desperate need for some game.” He said. “Especially now that someone’s died, even less people are gonna be goin’ to hunt in the woods. The Devil works hard to keep us out of there sometimes.”

“So I’ve heard.” Sylvain nodded. “Who was the guy that died?” He gestured over to the crowd of people, which was slowly beginning to thin out. “I tried asking the lady with the vegetables but she got short with me.”

“Oh, it was one of our more frequent hunters. He used to go out every day even when we all told him to stay at home.” Butch sighed, rough and almost raspy. “Poor bastard. He wasn’t even mated, either. Too young to go out like that.” Once the crowd had thinned out a bit more, Sylvain saw the remnants of thick blood that hadn’t entirely washed away from the heavy rain. The window to the front of the home was broken, and blood soaked into the wooden window pane. “It’s a shame, really. He always had something to bring back for me.”

“Damn.” Sylvain sighed, hand coming up to rub against his own jaw, tensing as he thought. “That’s a damn shame. Thanks for letting me pester you a bit, Butch. I’ll be back in a few hours with some meat for you.” He turned to head back into the direction of the inn, intent on grabbing his horse and making some coin before it got too dark to do any business.

It was a fairly quick walk back. The town was rather small, after all, and many of the homes were cramped close together without much yard space. Only some flowers sat outside the front steps of any of the homes, along with potted plants of varying colors. Much of the town was in shades of grays and almost lifeless browns, however many of the people wore clothing so bright that it made them stand out from the drabness of everything else. Sylvain smiled and waved as little pups kicked a leather ball back and forth, even kicking it back to them when it wandered over to him. Dogs and cats welcomed any pets he gave them as he wandered to the small stables beside the Molinaro Inn.

“Oh, Sylvain!” Ashe greeted the alpha as he walked inside. “I hope it’s alright that I gave your horse some treats.” He giggled sweetly as his he pet over the soft mane. 

“I don’t mind at all. In fact, she probably deserves way more treats than I’ve been giving her.” Sylvain slung off his bag and tied it to the saddle. “I just got a job hunting. Before you say anything,  _ yes _ I know that the woods are super dangerous. But, it’s a lot of gold that the butcher is offering, and I wasn’t about to say no to that.” Sylvain rambled as he pulled the lance off the other side of the horse’s saddle, before looking over to the omega.

Ashe had this  _ look. _ The kind that a mom usually gives their pups when they’re doing something they know they shouldn’t be. The,  _ not angry just disappointed _ kind of look. “Sylvain, I know that we’ve just met not that long ago, but Dedue and I would be heartbroken if something happened to you.” He said. “A lot of people come and go from our inn, but none of them really sit down to chat over breakfast with us. None of them ever want to know  _ more _ about this town.” The omega’s bright, green eyes softened, and the matching green dress billowed around his ankles when a cool breeze pushed through the stables. “Be careful. Come back before sunset. Dedue is making a lovely roast for dinner tonight.”

“Don’t worry.” Sylvain smiled, and felt like he meant those words even more now that he’s said them to Ashe. “I told Dedue he didn’t have to worry, and you don’t have to worry either. I’ll be careful.” Untying the lead, Sylvain felt a soft pat on his back before Ashe ducked out of the stables. “Okay, girl. Let’s make this a quick trip.” He cooed before hauling himself up onto her back, lance at his side as they rode back to the butcher’s shop to pick up the cart. He had a quick bit of help from Butch as he attached it to the horse, but was then soon near the outskirts of the woods.

“Just a bit further, girl.” Sylvain said as the horse rounded up the small incline toward the mouth of the forest. The horse slowed as they neared, and the alpha chanced a glance between the thick trees and overgrown brush. He saw a set of eyes, gleaming gold just like the wolf’s from the night before. His breath hitched as his horse came to a full stop. “It’s okay, girl. Just a bit closer.” He nudged her with his heels, watching as the bright eyes from much deeper seemed to follow. “What the fuck.” Sylvain whispered. “What the  _ fuck. _ ” He gripped the hilt of his spear so tightly that his knuckles were surely white. Jumping off the saddle, Sylvain made quick work of tying off the lead to a tree the furthest out of the forest’s mouth. 

Then came the hardest part.

**Author's Note:**

> check out my twitter @sagittasjupiter
> 
> comments and kudos are greatly appreciated! they help me stay motivated!


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